NL West

The Boston Red Sox lost their face of the franchise when shortstop Xander Bogaerts signed with the San Diego Padres last week. Rather than look to replace him with a free agent, the team might explore another avenue to improve its roster.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told The Athletic's Chad Jennings that the team is "very, very actively exploring" the trade market in the wake of Bogaerts' departure.

The Red Sox addressed some areas of need by signing closer Kenley Jansen and Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida. However, the team still has multiple holes to fill on its roster and Boston's front office has not spent big in free agency in recent years. Bloom acknowledged that the logical route for the franchise is to pursue trades.

"I actually think the trade market could be a really good route to adding impact to our club," Bloom said. "We are looking [into] a lot of significant moves there as long as we can do it in a way that isn't just robbing Peter to pay Paul, that's actually moving us forward in 2023 and giving us a chance to make a significant step forward from where we sit today."

Per Jennings, the Red Sox "still have a glaring need for a right-handed hitter and an ongoing desire to add a starting pitcher." The team has a deep farm system that Bloom said he hopes to keep intact for the future, but he added he's willing to give up some players for the right price.

"As I've said all along since getting here, we value being a consistent contender, and so guys that are in the pipeline are going to be a part of that in the years ahead, but what happens now matters," Bloom said. "And for the right impact, absolutely we would be willing to, and really look to, use that stockpile of prospects."

Jennings named Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong and Cleveland Guardians shortstop Amed Rosario as potential trade targets for Boston.

If the team looks internally to replace Bogaerts, it could move Trevor Story from second base back to shortstop, which was his original position during his six seasons with the Colorado Rockies.

"We're fortunate that we have multiple guys on this team that are really capable shortstops," Bloom said. "And that gives us a really good place to start from as we continue to work through the offseason and put the best club together that we can."

The San Francisco Giants have yet to shut the door on a reunion with starting pitcher Carlos Rodón, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser.

The Giants sealed an agreement with Sean Manaea on a two-year, $25 million deal Sunday, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. However, Slusser reported that deal doesn't preclude the team from continuing to pursue Rodón.

NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reported on Nov. 30 the Giants "do not expect Rodón to return" because the cost to sign him figures to be so high.

Heyman reported Rodón was looking to get at least $30 million annually over six years, while Slusser reported he's "seeking a minimum of seven years on a $100 million-plus deal."

Given how this offseason has unfolded, the fanbase might feel even more pessimistic about the two-time All-Star coming back to the Bay Area.

While San Francisco was a finalist for American League Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge, it looks like the franchise was little more than a stalking horse.

https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1600541396397703188

The Giants also showed some interest in Japanese pitcher Kodai Senga, only to watch him reportedly agree to a five-year, $75 million pact with the New York Mets. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported they made a formal offer to Brandon Nimmo as well before he re-signed with the Mets.

It's impossible to ignore the narrative that's taking shape.

Judge and Nimmo not taking the Giants’ offers is understandable. They went back to the only organizations they’d ever know. It’s where they felt comfortable.

Correa will go to the Giants if they have the strongest offer. This one you can judge, pun somewhat intended https://t.co/OslVHDstWv

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) December 10, 2022

I *know* I'm going to eat it when they sign Carlos Correa next week, but the Giants sure are the "bridesmaids, not the bride" of the offseason so far. https://t.co/GANthkNfB9

— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) December 11, 2022

Although Manaea feels like a replacement for Rodón, the need to sign another starter is still there with Anthony DeSclafani tentatively penciled in for the starting rotation. DeSclafani was limited to five starts in 2022, allowing 14 earned runs over 19 innings, before undergoing season-ending ankle surgery in June.

Getting a contract done with Rodón would also go a long way toward countering the current perception of San Francisco. That might require him to significantly lower his demands, though.

The longer the offseason goes, the less leverage the southpaw will have. For now, he and his agent, Scott Boras, probably aren't panicking about the lack of a new deal.

Shortstop Dansby Swanson remains one of the top free agents on the open market, and he's being linked to a perennial National League contender.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Swanson "appears to be a possibility" for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who finished with the best record in MLB last season. Heyman also noted that the Chicago Cubs remain interested in Swanson, who married United States women's national team and Chicago Red Stars star Mallory Pugh on Saturday.

Swanson earned his first All-Star selection last season after establishing himself as one of the best young shortstops in the majors. The 28-year-old hit .277/.329/.477 with 25 home runs and 96 RBI. His 177 hits ranked fourth in the NL and tied for eighth in MLB.

Los Angeles has an opening at shortstop after Trea Turner signed a massive 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last week.

Signing with the Dodgers would give Swanson an opportunity to reunite with veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman, who was his teammate with the Atlanta Braves for the first six seasons of Swanson's career. Together, they helped lead the Braves to a World Series title in 2021.

Freeman, who was once the face of the Braves franchise, signed with Los Angeles last offseason and had another MVP-caliber season. The 33-year-old led MLB with 199 hits and his .325 batting average ranked second in the NL. He also added 21 home runs and 100 RBI. There's a chance Swanson would enjoy similar success if he's added to Los Angeles' star-studded lineup.

Joining the Cubs would present a different challenge, as Chicago is set for a rebuild after tearing down its roster in recent years. Three-time All-Star catcher Willson Contreras left the team to sign with the rival St. Louis Cardinals this past Wednesday. If Swanson were to sign with the Cubs, he would be tasked with carrying the team's offense.

Whichever team lands Swanson is sure to benefit from adding him, as he has proven he can be a top contributor for a contender.

The New York Yankees are preparing an offer to free agent starting pitcher Carlos Rodón, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

The 30-year-old left-hander is the Yankees' "top remaining target," per Heyman, who said that the team seems "hopeful, or perhaps even optimistic" about their chances.

The San Francisco Giants, who Rodón played for last season, remain involved, and Heyman characterized it as a battle between them and the Yankees for the left-hander's services with "a few other teams in the mix" as well.

Rodón went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA last year. He earned an All-Star Game appearance for the second straight year and finished sixth in the National League Cy Young voting. The southpaw also struck out 237 batters in 178.0 innings.

The former North Carolina State star played for the Chicago White Sox from 2015-21 before signing with the Giants last offseason on a two-year, $44 million contract that included an opt-out after the first year.

Rodón elected to become a free agent and cash in on his great 2022 season, and now he stands to earn a nine-figure contract. A seven-person ESPN panel predicted that Rodón would sign for five years and anywhere between $130 million and $150 million. Rodón is looking for a seven-year deal, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Rodón would fit second in the Yankees' starting rotation between All-Stars Gerrit Cole and Nestor Cortes. Luis Severino would then slot in as the fourth starter. Frankie Montas and Domingo Germán would be the top candidates to round the rotation out.

The Yankees already earned a huge offseason win by retaining American League MVP Aaron Judge on a nine-year, $360 million contract. Adding Rodón would be a massive victory for a team looking to break through to the World Series for the first time since 2009.

Carlos Correa's market is starting to take shape.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins are among the teams interested in the 28-year-old shortstop.

ESPN's Buster Olney said on 95.7 The Game's Willard & Dibs on Friday that the New York Yankees could be in play for the best remaining free agent because "they're working on something big" after getting a commitment from Aaron Judge.

Once Judge decided to re-sign with the Yankees, the Giants became the most logical fit for Correa. They had an offer on the table for the reigning American League MVP of around $360 million in total value, per Heyman.

If the Giants offered that much for Judge, why not make the same proposal to Correa?

While Correa isn't the same level of superstar as Judge, at least by name recognition, there's a strong argument he would be a better free-agent investment. He's two-and-a-half years younger than Judge, plays a more important defensive position and has played it at a high level for most of his career.

The Giants have fallen behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the National League West hierarchy. The Padres show no signs of slowing their spending, having signed Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year, $280 million deal.

Correa alone wouldn't make the Giants a playoff contender, but he would help them close the gap on the top two teams in their division.

The Cubs have put themselves in an interesting spot, even after losing Willson Contreras to the St. Louis Cardinals. They've spent money the past two offseasons to bring in Marcus Stroman, Seiya Suzuki, Cody Bellinger and Jameson Taillon, but they lack high-ceiling players who can get them back into playoff contention in 2023.

Chicago has reportedly been heavily involved in the shortstop market this offseason. Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported team brass met with Bogaerts earlier this month as well as Correa.

The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reported Thursday the Cubs have a "particular focus" on Dansby Swanson.

The Twins are familiar with Correa after he played for them last season. He was a standout in their lineup with a .291/.366/.467 slash line and 22 homers in 136 games.

The AL Central is wide-open every year because none of the teams spend exorbitant amounts of money to sign players. The Cleveland Guardians won the division last season with 92 wins and appear to have a bright future, but their biggest addition has been Josh Bell.

The Chicago White Sox finished .500 and have lost José Abreu in free agency. Their only meaningful addition has been Mike Clevinger.

The Twins have a path to win the AL Central in 2023. If they can bring back Correa, that path becomes easier.

The San Diego Padres were willing to pay Aaron Judge well into his 40s to secure a deal for the American League MVP.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported the Padres "were contemplating a deal for $400 million-plus over 14 years."

On Wednesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported San Diego made a 10-year, $400 million offer to Judge at the 11th hour. Adding four more years would've lessened the annual cost of the contract while taking him through his age-44 season.

Heyman noted MLB might have intervened had things gotten any further because it "would have seen the additional years as only an attempt to lower their official payroll to lessen the tax."

Judge agreed to a nine-year, $360 million deal to return to the New York Yankees.

The Padres haven't rested on their laurels after reaching the National League Championship Series in 2022. In addition to their failed pursuit of Judge, they made a run at Trea Turner before he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

After getting spurned by both players, San Diego turned around and landed Xander Bogaerts for a reported $280 million over 11 years.

Enter Xan Man. pic.twitter.com/nSeoMlsaXO

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) December 9, 2022

Padres ownership has given president of baseball operations A.J. Preller the green light to spend over the last few years. That Preller was empowered to target Judge and Turner and ultimately sign Bogaerts is particularly fascinating, given the contract statuses of Manny Machado and Juan Soto.

Machado can opt out of the final five years and $150 million of his deal after the 2023 season. He'll be 31 next winter, three months younger than Bogaerts, so it stands to reason he can collect a better payout by hitting free agency.

Soto, meanwhile, is eligible to enter the open market in 2025 and could have one of the most frenzied bidding wars ever. ESPN's Jeff Passan posited Wednesday on The Pat McAfee Show that Soto and Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani could be the first players in MLB history to get $500 million.

If Machado and Soto don't sign long-term agreements before hitting free agency, then there are no guarantees about their futures in San Diego. The Padres at least appear to be showing they won't lose either player purely because they weren't willing to pony up the dough.

Having already secured a commitment from Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees may not be done making big moves this offseason.

Appearing on 95.7 The Game's Willard and Dibs, ESPN's Buster Olney said he's "definitely picking up a lot of vibes" the Yankees are "working on something big" when asked about the market for Carlos Correa.

On the other side, despite missing out on Judge, Olney noted the San Francisco Giants "haven't gotten too deeply" into talks with Correa about money.

Judge agreed to a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain with the Yankees on Wednesday, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

Even though the Yankees made other moves earlier in the offseason, most notably re-signing Anthony Rizzo, retaining Judge was always going to be their top priority.

There are still several flaws on the Yankees roster that need to be addressed before the start of next season. They ranked in the bottom half of Major League Baseball in weighted on-base average at shortstop and left field in 2022.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit .261/.314/.327 as New York's primary starting shortstop last season.

Signing Correa would be a massive upgrade at the position for the Bronx Bombers. The two-time All-Star has a .279/.357/.479 slash line in 888 career games.

It's interesting Olney would throw out the Yankees as a potential landing spot for Correa. Many players on their team, including Judge, were very critical of the Houston Astros and their players in the wake of the cheating scandal during the 2017 season.

"I just don't think it holds any value with me. You cheated and you didn't earn it," Judge told reporters in February 2020. "It wasn't earned the way of playing the game right and fighting to the end. The biggest thing about competition is laying it all out on the line, and whoever's the better player, better person, comes out on top. And to know that another team had an advantage—nothing that you can really guard against—I just don't feel like that's earned."

Rosenthal reported earlier this week the Los Angeles Dodgers won't pursue Correa, despite having a need at shortstop after losing Trea Turner, "in part out of concern that a sizable portion of their fanbase would not welcome the move."

The 2017 Astros defeated the Yankees in the American League Championship Series and Dodgers in the World Series.

In the wake of Judge re-signing with the Yankees, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported the "consensus" around MLB is the Giants were favorites to sign Correa.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network reported the Giants had an offer to Judge believed to be around $360 million.

If the Giants were willing to offer Judge that much money, there's no reason they can't shift it to Correa. There's an argument he would be a better fit than Judge because he's two years younger (28) and plays a more important defensive position.

The Giants have already fallen far behind the Dodgers and San Diego Padres in the NL West. They need to do something big to regain relevance in their own division and become a playoff contender in 2023.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed five-time Gold Glover Jason Heyward to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training, the team announced Thursday, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.

Heyward began his career with the Atlanta Braves in 2010, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting and earning his only All-Star Game selection. In his five seasons with the club, he slashed .262/.351/.429 with 84 home runs and 292 RBI in 681 games, in addition to winning two Gold Gloves.

The Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 2015 campaign. In his lone season with the franchise, he hit .293/.359/.439 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI in 154 games. He also earned another Gold Glove award.

He then agreed to an eight-year, $184 million deal with the Chicago Cubs before the 2016 campaign. He earned two Gold Gloves with the Cubs and helped the team capture the 2016 World Series title, but he never lived up to the contract offensively. He was released in November.

Heyward's performance at the plate over the last two seasons has been particularly poor. In 2021, he slashed .214/.280/.347 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 104 games. He appeared in just 48 games for the Cubbies in 2022, hitting .204/.278/.277 with one home run and 10 RBI.

In Los Angeles, it's possible the 33-year-old will find himself back on a major league roster in 2023, especially if he puts together a strong performance in spring training.

The Dodgers saw outfielder Cody Bellinger sign a one-year deal with the Cubs this winter after they non-tendered him, and they could use some depth in both left and center field alongside Trayce Thompson and Chris Taylor.

The San Diego Padres have landed one of the best shortstops in Major League Baseball after agreeing to a deal with Xander Bogaerts.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the Padres, adding another superstar to their already loaded infield in the process.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on an 11-year, $280 million contract, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN. A monster contract and the Padres, after missing Trea Turner and Aaron Judge, get the longtime Red Sox shortstop.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 8, 2022

The Red Sox added to their crowded middle infield last offseason by signing Trevor Story to a six-year contract. He shifted to second base because of Bogaerts, but this move allows to back to shortstop.

Story has been a disappointment so far in Boston. The two-time All-Star posted a career-low .737 OPS in an injury-plagued 2022 campaign that was limited to 94 games.

Bogaerts has been terrific at the plate over the previous five seasons for Boston. He posted a career-high .883 OPS in 2018 only to exceed that mark with a .939 OPS the following year. He also recorded new career bests in home runs (33) and doubles (52) in 2019.

The 2020 season wasn't quite up to those standards, but he hit .300/.364/.502 with 11 homers in 56 games. He was one of the few bright spots for a Red Sox team that finished last in the AL East with a 24-36 record.

Things went much better for Boston in 2021, finishing with a 92-70 record. Bogaerts was one of the key anchors for the offense with an .863 OPS and 23 homers in 144 games. He hit .307/.377/.456 with 15 homers in 150 games during the 2022 campaign.

The Red Sox signed him to a six-year, $120 million contract extension in April 2019 that included an opt out after 2022.

Bogaerts' struggles in the field—his minus-26 defensive runs saved from 2018-22 ranks last out of 19 qualified shortstops, according to FanGraphs—do open up the strong possibility that he might have to move off the position soon.

Bogaerts joins an infield that is as star-filled as any in baseball; third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. remain elite hitters and fielders, although there are plenty of question marks about how Tatis will fare after an injury-plagued 2022 campaign and after his 80-game suspension for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy. On top of that, shortstop Ha-Seong Kim emerged as one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball, creating a potential logjam on the left side of the infield.

However, with another big name joining the fold, it's hard to think the Padres won't figure things out heading into the season and will enter 2023 as early favorites to make a deep playoff run.

The Los Angeles Dodgers need a shortstop after losing Trea Turner in free agency to the Philadelphia Phillies, but Carlos Correa reportedly isn't a replacement option.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that one reason is the team's concern that the fanbase wouldn't welcome the move because Correa played on (and fiercely defended) the 2017 Houston Astros, who were caught orchestrating an illegal sign-stealing scheme after taking down the Dodgers in that year's World Series.

"The Dodgers are not pursuing shortstop Carlos Correa in part out of concern that a sizable portion of their fan base would not welcome the move. Correa was the most outspoken member of the 2017 Astros club that stole signs illegally during the postseason, and beat the Dodgers in a seven-game World Series."

Correa left Houston for the Minnesota Twins in free agency last offseason and hit .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI.

Rosenthal noted that's not the only reason L.A. may be reluctant to deal with Correa or any other big-name free agent, though, citing the uncertainty of how much back pay they will owe suspended starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, who signed a three-year, $102 million contract before the 2021 season.

"As the Dodgers wait to learn whether Major League Baseball will uphold Trevor Bauer’s two-year suspension for violating the league’s policy on sexual assault and domestic violence, club officials are uncertain how much back pay, if any, they will owe the pitcher," Rosenthal wrote.

Bauer is appealing that decision, and he will lose $60 million in salary if he loses. If he wins and gets his suspension overturned or cut down, then L.A. will have to pay.

"The Dodgers as a third-time luxury-tax offender would be assessed penalties on top of his salary," Rosenthal wrote. "As noted by the Los Angeles Times, the team’s total payout could exceed $100 million."

That's not an insignificant amount even for a team that had an MLB-high payroll that was north of $270 million last year.

Ultimately, Correa will get paid. Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with Philadelphia, and Correa could be in the neighborhood of that deal as well.

"It's going to take a seven-, eight- or nine-year deal for $265 to $300 million. Maybe more," Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News reported on the Mackey & Judd radio show (h/t Joe Nelson of Bring Me The Sports).

Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted Correa would sign a 10-year, $327 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.

He won't have a shortage of suitors with money to burn. The Twins reportedly want him back, per Rosenthal, and the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres could be in the mix. Those NL West teams reportedly offered Aaron Judge $360 million and $400 million contracts, respectively, before the American League MVP returned to the New York Yankees.

Correa played seven seasons in Houston before joining the Twins. His resume includes two All-Star Game appearances, the AL Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove in 2021.